Better judgement was needed in promoting Queer Theory class
A class at USF called Queer Theory has recently generated controversy, which is not completely unfounded.
In an attempt to advertise the class, an e-mail was sent by USF assistant professor of sociology Sara Crawley, who teaches it. It made its way into the hands of David Caton, the executive director of the Florida Family Association (FFA), who has publicly protested the class.
Caton was shocked by what he saw in the e-mail, and the FFA launched a campaign to blast USF officials with nearly 2,500 e-mails calling for an end to ‘inappropriate curriculum’ and asking administrators to ‘reconsider your decision to approve such an irresponsible and wasteful course.’
USF Senior Vice Provost for Academic Affairs Dwayne Smith said the University is standing behind the course.
USF has the right to offer what it feels are appropriate courses, and the FFA may not understand the complicated issue of what the term ‘queer theory’ means. However, based on the e-mail, the FFA, an organization aimed at improving the country’s moral environment, had a right to be offended.
The e-mail includes a picture of what appears to be a shirtless man wearing white pants, suspenders and a white cowboy hat standing’in front of rainbow-colored’streamers, with the caption: ‘Drag performance of local gender illusionist, 6pak, a physiologically unaltered female-bodied’trans guy.’
6pak is biologically a woman but identifies as a man and dresses as one for drag shows, though she hasn’t undergone any transgender surgery. The picture in the e-mail demonstrated bad taste to say the least, and the caption led the FFA to believe the class would feature drag shows, which isn’t true, Crawley said.
The FFA made the e-mail available online at
More Stories
Taylor Swift USF course to be taught this fall
Are you “…Ready for it?” An English course offered on the Tampa campus will concentrate on Taylor Swift for the first time in the fall. The course, LIT3301: Cultural Studies and Popular Art, has been offered before as an English elective, but can be taken by students of any major. The class concentrates on […]
Marshall Student Center to replace elevators by December 2025
While students made their way into the Marshall Student Center (MSC) over the past year, they might have noticed signs in front of elevators reading they were under repair. One of the most commonly used elevators, behind the information desk at the MSC, was recently completely shut off. The motor on elevator 1, on the […]
Abortion and marijuana amendments are pressing concerns for USF students
Florida voters will have the opportunity to decide the future of abortion and marijuana use in the state this November. Six amendments were approved at the beginning of April. These include amendment three, which addresses marijuana use, and amendment four, which addresses abortion. The abortion and marijuana amendments are especially important to college students according […]
LGBTQ+ USF students to be celebrated at Lavender Ceremony
Intimate graduations are held at USF for students who wish to cross the graduation stage in a more personal setting alongside their friends and families. This year’s Lavender Ceremony is an opportunity for LGBTQ+ students at USF to participate in a graduation ceremony that celebrates their community. The 2024 USF Lavender Ceremony will be held […]
USF announces stadium groundbreaking date
Time to break out the shovels. A groundbreaking ceremony for the on-campus stadium will be held during Homecoming Week, scheduled for Oct. 14-19, 2024, USF announced Thursday. The university said it would break ground in the fall of this year at a Board of Trustees meeting in December. The stadium is expected to be completed […]
Appealing your USF parking ticket? Find out if it can be approved.
Think your USF parking ticket is worthy of an appeal? Statistically, it’s unlikely. Everyone who parks on campus and does not follow parking rules is subject to parking citations. The next step is to determine whether the citation holder’s reasoning will be enough for Parking & Transportation Services (PATS) to dismiss the fine. Related: Got […]